The construction of the first supertall in Saint-Petersburg, Russia, seems to be finally approved after almost a year of rows and bitter dispute (there was a lot of objection based on the fact the tower would damage the value of the famous UNESCO world heritage site) and should be complete by 2012.
The winning proposal is by RMJM, a 396 meters tall tower right at the junction of Neva and Ohta (Okhta) rivers (last giving the name for the project), just a mile out of the historical center of the city, is going to be 51% sponsored by Gazpromneft, an oil branch of Gazprom (world's sixth company by market capitalization) and 49% by the city. The complex will be raised on the territory of a shipbuilding plant currently being demolished, right on the remains (little remained) of an Nyenschantz fortress built 1611, making a strong link between the city's past and future.construction site, from the bridge seen on the first pic

Current status: demolition and clean-up at the site.

Notes:
- Saint-Petersburg is Russia's second-largest city with 5 millions population, a home to some of Russia's top companies.
- Saint-Petersburg is famous for it's historical center, making it one of the world' most beautiful cities, with long granite embankments, baroque imperial palaces, magnificent churches, boulevards, parks, monuments.
- Highrise construction was banned in the city because «it could ruine the historical value of the site».
- Originally it was stated that the Ohta Center is going to be the only tower in the area but just a few weeks ago one of Saint-Petersburg banks got a final approval for construction of a 200 m. tower just a couple blocks away.
- the shape of the tower was inspired by the Nyenschantz fortress, the 5-edged spiral would rise from the basement lying on the fortress walls. The basement floor will feature a museum of the fortress, which will be preserved intact.

It looks great. I don't think it will damage the site, quite the opposite. It adds more to it. Sadly I won't see anything like this back here for a long time. They just rejected the build of two 300 meter twin towers just one block away from where I'm living Whatever. Do you know how many floors it'll have?

It looks great. I don't think it will damage the site, quite the opposite. It adds more to it. Sadly I won't see anything like this back here for a long time. They just rejected the build of two 300 meter twin towers just one block away from where I'm living Whatever. Do you know how many floors it'll have?

the tower would damage the value of the famous UNESCO world heritage site

It will. Shame that the rich oilbags bullied the city into allowing this to pass. At least the tower design is beautiful though. All in all, I'll reserve my judgement till we see the finished product, or at least more renders from various angles. Perhaps this one will be an iconic beacon for the city in the same way the Admiralty Spire has historically been - one of the landmarks that the preservationists are worrying about.

Arabtec has started conducting tests for the foundations on its Okhta project in Russia, according to the company's chief financial officer.

"The actual construction on the foundation will start soon after the tests are finished before the end of the year. By then the design will be finalised on the main building and the project. The building permits will be granted before Christmas or New Year. By March or April 2010, when the permits are in place, the structure is finalised, the specifications are approved and the weather permitting, we will start work on the main construction," he added.

The skyscraper would have been St. Petersburg's first
July 23, 2010
MOSCOW -- The Russian Constitutional Court has ruled against the construction of the controversial Okhta Center skyscraper in St. Petersburg's historic downtown, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.

The court argued on July 22 that when approving construction projects in the historical part of the city, St. Petersburg's city government should adhere to Russian law as well as international laws on cultural-heritage preservation.

Boris Vishnevsky, a member of the opposition party Yabloko, told RFE/RL that he hopes the judgment will serve as a precedent for any future suits.

"In the judgment it is written in black and white that all building measurements are [to be] set down by the Russian Commission of Cultural Preservation -- and the commission does not approve a 100-meter high tower, not to mention one that is 400 meters tall," Vishnevsky said.

Plans for the 400-meter skyscraper have generated controversy since they were first unveiled in 2006. The Okhta Center would have been the first skyscraper in St. Petersburg.

UNESCO, the UN's cultural organization, wrote several letters to St. Petersburg's government warning that construction of the building could endanger St. Petersburg's status on UNESCO's World Heritage list.